Whether you’re already sitting on one yourself or have just been easily overtaken by one: Anyone who often travels by bike knows that pedelecs, usually called e-bikes, are booming. As the Stiftung Warentest writes, every second bicycle sold in Germany is now an e-bike. The range is large and the testers have chosen nine SUV e-bikes for their June issue, seven of which were given the overall grade “good”.

First of all: All of the nine e-bikes tested are expensive. The pressing range is between 3,300 and 5,350 euros and for the price of the test winner KTM Macina Aera 671 LFC (4,200 euros) you can also get a used small car. All of the bikes are heavy. They weigh between 26 and 29 kilograms, which means they can’t even be carried up the stairs. Also, none of the testers made it uphill when the engine was off – instead, pushing was the order of the day.

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It can take more than eight hours to fully charge a bicycle battery. In the test, it affected the e-bikes from Cube (Nuride Hybrid EXC 625 Allroad) and Corratec (MTC 12S). The Flyer Goroc2 2.10 was charged the fastest – only 2:40 hours – but the battery did not work reliably when it was wet. It is also worth paying attention to where the battery is installed: If it is inserted from below, it gets dirt and moisture, the battery of the Specialized Turbo Tero 4.0 Step-Through EQ e-bike even fell out several times in the test .

The KTM Macina Aera 671 LFC (grade 1.8, 4200 euros) is also an exception because it is both comfortable and sporty – most of the other models in the test are either one or the other. The Stiftung Warentest praises the handling, the 150 lux lighting system and the best circuitry in the test. The quick-charging, top-loading battery and powerful Bosch motor are also highlighted, although the motor was very noisy under load.

With a grade of 2.3, the Cube Nuride Hybrid EXC 625 Allroad performed only slightly worse than the other six good bikes in the test. On the other hand, at 3,300 euros, it is a bit cheaper than the second cheapest model from Corratec for 3,600 euros (which only received a grade of 2.6 and therefore “satisfactory”). The Stiftung Warentest describes the Cube as a versatile bike with a powerful, quiet drive – but unfortunately the battery charges a whopping eight hours and ten minutes. In addition, it is not so easy to remove and install.

Simplon Kagu Bosch CX 275 RT (5,250 euros, grade 2.1): This e-bike is more equipped for asphalt and comfort.